


Metal Cowboy

by sperrywink



Category: NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-05
Updated: 2010-04-05
Packaged: 2017-10-08 17:57:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/78060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sperrywink/pseuds/sperrywink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is nothing like the whir of bicycle spokes in the early morning. Also known as the popslash bicycle touring AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Metal Cowboy

**Author's Note:**

> This was started as a **Make the Yuletide Gay** story in 2007, but I abandoned it in favor of a shorter story. I had a longer arc in mind back then, but I think this is a good, hopeful place to end it and I've been in a popslash place this weekend and the final 800 words or so came to me.

Lifting his head up, Chris blearily killed the chime on his watch and groaned. He wanted to ride his bicycle, he truly did. He just wished it didn't get so damn hot, so damn early, forcing him up and out at these ungodly predawn hours.

Fortifying himself with thoughts of large cups of iced coffee once he got going, he rubbed his face and crawled out of his sleeping bag. He peeked out of the tent and was reassured to see his bike resting nearby where he had left it. With that out of the way, he began dressing and packing up. It didn't take long. It was amazing how little his life was reduced to. All his clutter was still waiting for him back at home, but just the thought of it was no longer a comfort the way it had been at the start of the trip. Now it was another burden waiting for him back home.

Chris finished packing his panniers and sat down to eat a granola bar. It was a pretty park with a little stream off to the right and it had been a quiet night except for the crickets. Dawn was just breaking over the stream, painting it pink and red. His mood picking up, Chris munched happily, enjoying the sight.

Finally, stuffing his wrapper into the right, back pannier, he took a drink of water and rolled his bike onto the gravel pathway. Mounting it, he rode out of the park and back onto the road off to the west. His butt ached slightly. It always did at first. It took a couple miles for his body to get back into the grove, but he was used to it by now and just looked ahead.

An hour or so later and a good fifteen miles down the road, he came across a just opened cafe. Deciding that was a good start to the day, and with the rumbling of his stomach to remind him of his promise of coffee, he stopped for breakfast. With the same twinge of anxiety he always got leaving his bike unattended, he locked it to a sign post outside the café and wandered in to the smell of frying bacon and strong coffee.

Saying, "Take a seat anywhere, honey," the waitress waved at the nearly empty booths as she turned for the coffee pot. Chris wandered to a booth near the side where he could see his bike, and settled in as the waitress came up with a cup and a raised eyebrow.

Chris fervently said, "Please," and she smiled as she poured him a steaming cup of coffee. She pulled a small menu out of her apron and left Chris alone. Chris browsed the menu perfunctorily, but he had his heart set on pancakes and didn't think much would change his mind. After ordering, Chris settled into smelling his coffee and downing it in big sips.

The café began filling up, Chris guessed it was a local hot spot, and he was reassured that the food was probably good. Not that he couldn't tell that from the smell anyway. Just as his pancakes arrived, he saw a flash of wheels out the window and he watched curiously as a group of five cyclists pulled up, including one tandem bike, all rigged out with panniers and camping gear. More touring cyclists. Chris had expected to meet other cyclists since he was following the Adventure Cycling route, but it was happening with way more frequency than he anticipated. It was nice.

The group came in laughing, one of them waving to the waitress and calling her by name- Rose, apparently. She smiled back winningly. Chris could understand why. The guy had wild, curly hair and a smile that split his face, crinkling his eyes up. He looked happy and carefree and like he invited everyone to join him in feeling that way. Chris snorted at his own fanciful thoughts. He definitely needed more coffee.

The guy waved his group over to a booth near the front and then before Chris could wave Rose over, the guy scanned the café and literally bounced over to Chris. "Hi. We saw your bike outside. Nice set up you got."

Chris said, "Thanks."

"Mind if I join you? The booths really only fit four comfortably." The guy was already sliding into the booth so Chris didn't see where he really had a choice. Not that he did mind. Part of this trip was getting out of his rut, and part of that was being approachable.

Trying for a friendly and open tone, Chris said, "No, that's fine. My name's Chris."

With another beaming smile the guy said, "JC. Which way you headed?"

"West."

"So are we! I'm surprised we haven't crossed paths before."

"I'm not rushing." Thankfully Rose came over with a cup for JC and refilled Chris's cup while she was there. Chris thanked her and she smiled at him. She seemed just that slightly more open now that JC had joined Chris. He ate some of his pancakes as JC ordered and joked with Rose.

When JC was done ordering and Rose had wandered over to another table, JC started as if their conversation had never been interrupted. "Oh, we're only doing about 50-60 miles a day. As you probably guessed we're not one of the speedster groups crossing the country in 30 days."

"I'm up to about 70-80 miles a day, but I take some side trips to stop and see the sights, so my mileage isn't a given."

"That's cool, man. Taking the road less traveled." JC grinned at him and waved his hand to encompass the diner.

Chris shrugged. When he started his trip, he had simply been looking for a change from his daily grind. "I guess. I'm on vacation. It seems like the thing to do."

JC leaned forward intently and said, "No, I mean it. That's totally cool, man. So many people are so focused on getting to the other side of the country they lose sight of the journey, you know?"

Chris just nodded and took a bite of pancakes. He didn't know that he had thought of it in such a spiritual way. He just didn't know that he wanted the ride to end, so he took as many side trips as he could to prolong it. He wasn't sure what his real life held for him anymore.

JC's breakfast arrived with more joking with Rose and he tucked into his own pancakes greedily. Chris could relate. He'd never eaten so much in his life since he started this trip.

Looking at Rose thoughtfully, Chris said, "So, you come here a lot?"

"Oh, I always make sure to stop here. This has the best pancakes on the route, as I'm sure you noticed." The pancakes were excellent. There was a hint of vanilla and Cinnamon that was to die for.

Chris asked, "You bike the route often, then?"

"Every summer. I lead groups for No Strings Cycling Tours."

"That's a cool job."

With a laugh, JC said, "Nothing beats riding your bike for a living, right?"

Charmed by JC's crinkling, wide smile, Chris could only grin back.

After breakfast, JC insisted Chris meet the rest of his group. They were waiting outside by their bikes, refilling water bottles and stretching. JC said, "everyone, this is Chris. Chris this is Joey and Kelly on the tandem, and then Lance and Justin on the single bikes."

Chris said, "Hello" with a little wave as they all chorused greetings back. Joey was a tall open-looking man with a shorter, plumper wife. Both looked happy-go-lucky with wide smiles and laugh lines. Lance was pale with blond hair and light green eyes, while Justin was the tallest of the lot, whipcord slim with shorn hair. He looked like the kind of cyclist that would do the route in 30 days, not the easy pace JC claimed the group followed. His grin was friendly though.

They all got on their bikes and headed out. Joey and Kelly were a little shaky starting out, but quickly got their rhythm with a big laugh from Joey and a slap from Kelly to Joey's back. Lance and Justin jockeyed for position as first in line while JC hung back with Chris. Chris let his legs warm up, particularly his right knee, and then slowly inched up his gear and his speed. After about a mile he had his groove and with the tailwind, he was ready to ride. He shifted gears again and with a wave, left the group behind. Justin paced him for awhile, but with a shout from JC, fell back to the group.

Chris tried to zone on pedaling and the passing scenery as he did most days, but his thoughts returned to JC too often for that to happen. Finally he decided to stop fighting it and let his thoughts drift to JC as often as they wanted. The miles passed quickly as he relived their conversation over breakfast and the way JC vibrated in his skin. The tailwind helped him lose himself as he didn't have to struggle for each turn of the pedal.

Fantasizing about JC and the way his bike shorts clung to his thighs was much more entertaining then thinking about going back to work in a month. Finally, noticing the heat creeping up and a small convenience store coming up on the left, Chris pulled over for some refreshment and a break.

He got a large iced coffee and some snacks and sat outside on the curb next to his bike. The sun beat down on him, and he let it bake into his skin as he downed the drink in ice cold sips.

He'd been riding alone for a couple of weeks now, ever since the two weeks his route had matched up with a cyclist named AJ. AJ had been a fun, tattooed cyclist from LA, heading home after visiting friends in Orlando. He had a sharp wit about the other people they met and kept Chris laughing, but they had parted amicably when the road took them apart. 

But Chris only had a month to finish, his plane ticket had a firm date, so he had to keep riding at his current pace. There was still room for side trips and easy days, but he couldn't justify riding as slow as JC's group did. Even if he was unsure about his life back home, it was his life and he couldn't avoid it forever. Chris told himself that he couldn't slow down for every pretty face he met. Even if they seemed interested in him as well.

On the fourth day, it rained buckets, so Chris decided to skip a day. He consoled himself that his knee was also bothering him and that one day off wouldn't throw off his schedule too much. He lounged in his tent, reading through his tour journal and catching up on writing up the past couple of days. When he came to the passage describing JC, he paused. JC had never really left his thoughts.

The rain stopped that afternoon and the sun broke free to shine brightly again. This campsite had a nice lake called Loon Lake with floating docks and free canoes. Deciding that a swim was just what he needed, Chris stripped to his shorts and waded out into the water. It was refreshing and crisp and he shuddered as his body got used to the water. He leisurely swam towards the dock, ducking his head repeatedly to enjoy the water.

Finally he climbed on the dock to enjoy the fading sunlight. Resting on his back with his head propped by his arm, Chris listened to the sound of distant birds and marveled at his life. Just a little over two months ago he had been cramped into his stifling office at school trying to counsel kids while lost himself. He could finally admit that he had been depressed and lackluster about his job for months now. It wasn't the kids, he still loved helping them out, but all the bureaucracy and politics were wearing him down. Now every day of this trip he felt more rejuvenated and alive. The real question was whether he could keep those feelings when he returned home and to his job.

Suddenly with a splash that drenched Chris, JC came tumbling up onto the dock with a big smile and a laugh. "Dude, fancy meeting you here!"

Chris shook the water off and laughed back. He said, "Lucky me." He ignored the little voice inside that jumped in excitement. Late last night he had wondered if JC's group would catch up with him with his skipped day, but he hadn't gotten his hopes up.

JC stopped shaking off the water and grinned intently at Chris. He looked beautiful and happy, despite his dripping shorts and wet torso. Chris could read the interest in his eyes. He shifted, but then nodded slightly at JC. So he liked the guy, no harm in letting him know. Seeming to do the impossible, JC beamed brighter.

JC scrunched water out of his hair. "You want to join us for dinner tonight? We're going to have a bonfire. The camp manager has some dry wood. We need it after riding in the rain today."

"Sounds great."

The both jumped back into the water, Chris with a shout since the water felt cold again. After the first brush of JC's thigh against his, Chris let his body brush against JC's all it wanted on the trip back. There was no one there to see. JC seemed to be doing the same and they tangled more than once on the way back to shore.

Just before the reached the dock, JC leaned over and brushed a quick kiss against Chris's lips. Chris grinned and squeezed JC's hand which was brushing against his. JC smiled back and clambered onto the dock.

After climbing out, Chris got directions to JC's campsite. He then went back to his camp to change shorts and pick up a jacket as the temperature would drop for the evening.

He could see the bonfire long before he came up to their camp. It was a cheery sight in the fading light. Justin noticed him first and gave a wave and a shouted greeting that the others chorused in with afterward. It gave Chris a warm feeling being welcomed like that. He met a lot of strangers on his travels, but he hadn't felt the warm rush of familiarity since parting from AJ.

To the group Chris said, "How was your ride here? Could you believe that rain?"

JC laughed and said, "Oh my god! I thought the group was going to revolt and abandon the trip on me."

Everyone laughed their protest at abandoning JC, but Chris could see the grimaces on their faces. Chris settled next to the fire between JC and Justin. Justin held out a stick with a hot dog on it and Chris held it over the fire. Curious, Chris turned to JC and asked, "So do you just bike this route?"

"No, this is my summer route and then I bike the southern route during the Fall and Spring." JC projected his voice so Joey and Kelly on the other side of the fire could hear him.

Joey said, "Nice work if you can get it."

"Oh, I know. I used to be an architect, but the grind got to me, you know? All the money and most of the work is in corporate accounts and building large, concrete buildings and that isn't why I got into architecture. It was crushing my spirit. I took a leave of absence to bike across the country and the rest was history."

Chris said, "Sounds like what I'm going through."

JC nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. I'm surprised that more people don't follow the urge to leave it all behind."

Chris mulled over this thoughtfully. He thought about his mom and sisters back in Orlando and how he missed them. "We like our comfortable homes and families, I guess."

With a laugh, JC said, "Well, there is that. It's true I had to simplify my life quite a bit and I don't get to see my parents as often as I would like."

Chris said, "I actually envy you the simplicity. I'm torn about going back to work in a little over a month or so."

JC leaned in and put his hand on Chris's arm. "Then don't, man. With your solo experience you could become a tour guide like me."

Chris shook his head. "I think I still have more to give to the kids." And as Chris said it he realized it was true and a weight lifted from his shoulders. He continued, "But I totally want to be you when I finally grow up, dude."

Lance said, "Kids?"

"I'm a school counselor for troubled kids."

JC smiled softly and nodded. "I can see how that can be both a burnout and rewarding."

Chris snorted. "Isn't that the truth." Wanting to change the subject, Chris asked, "What do you all do?"

Proudly Lance said, "I just finished graduate school- aerospace engineering. I'm starting an internship at NASA at the end of the summer."

Joey said, "I'm a talent manager at Universal in Orlando and Kelly works in a travel agency. That's how we discovered these tours. We're taking a second honeymoon before we start having kids."

Justin simply said, "College," and then fidgeted a bit. Recognizing the signs of someone who doesn't want to talk about themselves, Chris asked Lance a question about NASA and got the conversation turned away from Justin.

Conversation flowed easily the rest of the night. The group was tight-knit, as Chris would expect after they'd been riding together for two months, but they welcomed him easily and he was grateful. He met JC's eyes frequently and Chris now knew he wasn't imagining the interest there. It made his skin tingle despite the heat from the bonfire.

Joey and Kelly were the first to head to their tent, and fairly soon thereafter it was just JC and him, making sure the bonfire was truly out and all the food was stored away properly.

JC said, "Thanks for your help."

Risking a little, Chris said, "Want to walk me to my campsite?"

JC slanted him a sultry look and nodded. "Let me get my shoes on."

Chris watched as JC gave one more careful look over his campsite before he stood up to follow Chris. Leading the way through the dark trees, Chris felt excitement course through him. JC was crowding right up behind him making Chris grin. Chris's camp was only a little ways off; around a bend in the pathway and on the other side of the showers. Still, it was far enough away that they wouldn't be heard by the rest of JC's group and that was the important part.

Not hesitating, Chris walked straight to his tent and bent down to undo the zipper. JC kneeled down next to him and tangled his fingers with Chris's. "Let me help."

Chris laughed lightly as their fingers slipped off the zipper. As he said, "Dude," JC kissed the side of his mouth. Going with the flow, Chris turned his head and fitted his mouth to JC's. Tasting of smoke, s'mores, and wildness, Chris loved it immediately. His tongue darted inside JC's mouth trying to hunt down every last flavor. JC's tongue dueled with his, trying to find it's way into Chris's mouth and Chris finally relinquished his place to allow JC access with a groan. He was glad he did. JC's tongue was agile and soft, invading his mouth firmly and knowingly.

As they kissed, Chris fumbled with the zipper, finally getting it undone. He reluctantly pulled back from JC's mouth and pulled the flap away from the tent opening. He said, "Come on in."

They crawled into the tent, removing their shoes before climbing onto the sleeping bag. Chris also removed his jacket and socks. He said a mental thanks for the room his two person tent afforded them. There was some necessary directing with touch to coordinate them both on the sleeping bag in the dark, but they managed and once they were settled, JC leaned into Chris, fitting their mouths together. Running his hands through JC's hair, Chris slanted JC's head to better fit their fused mouths together. JC hummed his approval and pushed until Chris was on his back and JC was kneeling over him.

Chris straightened out his legs causing JC to shift and lower his body onto Chris's, rolling to the side to maneuver. Sinuously rubbing against Chris until Chris widened his legs, JC moved back between Chris's legs and lined their cocks up. Chris's cock hardened fast, and this seemed to spur JC on. Chris couldn't believe how quickly they had become hot and heavy, but he wasn't complaining. JC pulled his mouth off Chris's and said, "Hey, so I was happy to see you today."

Smoothing his hands from JC's head down his back, Chris then reversed his movements, pulling up JC's t-shirt. He said, "Me too. I've been thinking about you." JC let Chris pull the shirt over his head and he grinned down at Chris when the shirt was thrown to the side. Chris could just make out that his nipples were tight little nubs.

JC said, "What have you been thinking?" He then gave a little shimmy that made Chris bite back a groan and his eyes roll back in his head.

"Exactly this. Maybe what your mouth would feel like." Chris ran one hand to JC's mouth and JC sucked two of Chris's fingers in.

Watching him suck for a moment, Chris then pulled his fingers out with a small popping sound. JC said, "Oh, we can certainly make that happen." He skimmed his hands under Chris's shirt, pushing it up and off. Without haste, but with no dallying, JC then reached for Chris's shorts, peeling them down and off.

Chris said, "Yours too." JC obliged by shimmying out of his shorts, contorting into a pretzel to do it in the tight area. Chris didn't let his mind wander to other ways JC could be bent in half, but it was a close thing. JC climbed back onto the sleeping bag with Chris, covering him and fitting their mouths together once more.

Chris groaned in satisfaction at the feel of JC's smooth skin blanketing him. They kissed for a couple minutes, JC's tongue mimicking a blowjob. Before Chris was ready, JC broke the kiss and trailed his mouth down Chris's chest. He blew a quiet raspberry on Chris's belly and Chris said, "Fuck you, dude!" as he laughed.

JC chuckled and then settled between Chris's bent knees. Chris expected JC to suck him down, quick and dirty, but humming, JC instead settled into exploring. He sucked Chris's balls into his mouth one by one, while rubbing Chris's thighs mesmerizingly. Finally when Chris thought he was going to come out of his skin and JC's lips had been all over his balls and inner thighs, JC finally turned to his cock, licking broad stripes up it. It was a struggle to keep his moans low, it felt so divine, and it proved impossible when JC sucked him down with a final swirl of tongue.

Tilting his head up, Chris could just make out the bobbing of JC's head as a slightly darker space in the gloom of the evening. Wishing he had thought to turn on a flashlight, Chris reached down to pet JC's hair and help build the connection between them. This might be a one night stand, it would be hard to coordinate anything else, but that didn't mean it was anonymous to Chris. JC briefly leaned his head into Chris's touch, but then went back to his seriously wicked cocksucking.

Chris stuffed his fist into his mouth to try and contain some of the sounds that JC wrought from him, but it was a losing battle and he came with a muffled shout of JC's name. JC easily swallowed and then crawled up Chris's body to kiss him leisurely while he recovered. JC was thrusting his hard cock against Chris's hip, so Chris reached down and wrapped his hand around it. The strength was coming back into his limbs, so he even managed to do it with some grace.

"What would you like," Chris said as he stroked, tightening his grip.

JC was panting into the side of Chris's face and it took him a couple seconds to answer. "This is good. This is excellent. Harder, god, just a little harder." Following directions, Chris tightened his grip and sped up. JC's hips were meeting Chris's fist on every upstroke as JC moved his weight to his hands placed on either side of Chris's head for leverage.

Loving the feel of  JC's breath panting against his cheek, Chris turned his head and captured JC's mouth in a scorching kiss, letting JC breath into him. JC only lasted for a couple seconds before he was curving back as his hips slammed down and he came in a rush of moans and tremors.

Letting JC crash down on him, Chris rubbed his now sweaty hair and hummed nonsensically while JC came down from the heights of his orgasm. Finally, JC rolled off Chris with a small groan and said, "I needed that. Thank you."

With a small laugh, Chris said, "No need to thank me, dude. Your mouth should be illegal." Groping for the flashlight, Chris found his bandanna first and wiped the come off his belly. Then the light clicked on and Chris blinked to adjust his eyes.

JC said, "I rolled right onto it."

"That's cool. I was looking for that."

Sounding unsure, but determined, JC said, "I'd love to exchange addresses. We can send each other postcards from our trips."

Chris was nodding even before JC finished his request. "I'd like that. Hell, if you ever tour through Orlando, you've got a place to stay. I'm on the Warm Showers List and everything."

JC's teeth glowed in a smile in the soft light. "Excellent!"

Smiling back, Chris suspected he was grinning like a doofus, but JC didn't seem to mind. Chris was starting to feel sleep drag at him, so he was happy, if a little lonely, when JC said he should get back to his tent and his group. "Will you be around for breakfast?" he asked as he began sliding back into his clothes.

Chris shook his head negatively. "I really do have to keep my pace up and I ride better in the coolness of early morning."

"Okay." JC leaned in for a last, lingering kiss and then slid his feet into his shoes. Leaning his arms on his bent knees, he turned to Chris and said, "I really do hope we keep in touch."

Chris smiled back and ran one hand along JC's side. "Hey. So far you are my new favorite friend from this trip. No worries from my end." Chris sat up and got his tour journal, ripping a page out so they could exchange addresses and emails.

Finally, with one last grin, JC gave Chris one more kiss and climbed through the tent opening and out into the night. Chris zipped the tent up after his exit and turned off the flashlight. He smiled up at the top of his tent feeling amazingly relaxed and as he drifted off to sleep he promised himself to find a postcard at the next weird attraction he stumbled across. He had a good feeling about meeting JC again.


End file.
